■ 


LIBRARY 

ifheologi  c  a  1  J5  e  m  tnavy, 

PRINCETON.  N.± 

xt  r'  Division  jZ 
No.  Case, - 

No.  Shelf,  -51pg- 

No.  Book, _ 


/'  . . 


From  the  Rev.  W.  B.  SPRAGUE,  D.D.  Sept.  1839. 


% 


Prague  Collection.  Vol.  +  54 


4 


\ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/essayonatonernent00frie_0 


ESSAY' 


ON 


THE  ATONEMENT, 

BEING 


AN  ATTEMPT  TO  ANSWER  THE  QUESTION, 

DIB  CHRIST  DIE  FOR  JLLL  MANKIND  ? 


BY  A  FRIEND  TO  TRUTH. 


“  Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready.” — 

THE  SAVIOUR. 


JVE  W-  YORK : 


PUBLISHED  BY  SAMUEL  WHITING  &  CO. 


■ 


PREFACE. 


i^LLTHOUGH  writings  of  a  controversial  na¬ 
ture  sometimes  disturb  the  peace  of  the  Church 
of  Christ,  by  exciting  an  undesirable  oppo¬ 
sition,  and  disaffection  among  its  members ; 
yet  there  are  times  in  which  the  state  of  the 
Church  does  absolutely  require  them.  And  at 
such  times,  if  written  in  a  Christian  spirit,  and 
with  a  steady  eye  to  Gospel  truth,  they  may  be 
eminently  useful.  Whether  this  Essay  be  thus 
seasonable,  the  public  must  judge.  WTe  have, 
however,  to  observe,  that  as  it  was  not  originally 
designed  for  the  press,  the  author  would  not  have 
consented  to  its  publication,  had  he  not  believed, 
that  the  sentiments  which  it  opposes  are,  in  their 
consequences,  at  least,  calculated  to  do  much  in¬ 
jury  to  the  souls  of  men. 

Such  views  are  entertained  by  some,  of  the  na¬ 
tural  depravity  of  man,  and  of  the  extent  of 
Christ’s  atonement,  as  not  only  give  the  sinner 
an  excuse  for  continuing,  at  present ,  in  a  state  of 
impenitence  and  unbelief ;  but  which,  if  true, 
would,  we  apprehend,  even  at  the  day  of  judg¬ 
ment ,  take  away  all  possibility  of  the  sinner’s 
blaming  himself  for  not  being  saved  through 


PKEFAG*. 


ir 

faith  in  Christ.  We  believe  that  the  natural  de¬ 
pravity  of  man  is  total ;  but,  in  our  view,  this 
depravity  is  wholly  of  a  mbral  kind,  and  produces 
only  a  moral  inability ;  and  consequently,  every 
man  who  hears  the  Gospel,  however  depraved  in 
heart,  is  under  obligation  immediately  to  obey  it, 
and  has  great  reason  to  thank  God,  for  the  grace 
which  is  offered  him,  although  his  heart  may  ne¬ 
ver  be  renewed.  We  cannot  therefore  believe, 
with  Dr.  Owen,  that  it  is  calculated  only  to  de¬ 
lude  sinners,  for  God  to  offer  them  eternal  life,  if 
they  will  repent  and  believe,  when  he  has  not  de¬ 
termined  to  dispose  their  hearts  to  comply  with 
these  terms.  Nor  do  we  think,  that  such  an  offer 
is,  (as  the  same  writer  observes,)  similar  to  a  per¬ 
son’s  offering  money  to  a  blind  man  to  relieve  his 
necessities,  upon  the  condition,  that  he  will  open 
his  eyes.  And  how  the  admirers  of  Dr.  Owen 
can  reconcile  such  a  sentiment  with  the  acknow¬ 
ledged  truth,  that  God  does,  in  his  word,  make 
such  offers  to  those  who  will  never  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  we  know  not. 

The  doctrine,  that  Christ  died  only  for  a  part 
of  mankind,  has  been  represented,  as  so  connect¬ 
ed  with  that  of  God’s  distinguishing  grace  in 
election,  that  the  Arminian  is  permitted  to  tri¬ 
umph,  as  though  he  had  overthrown  the  latter, 
merely  by  proving  from  the  Scriptures,  that 
Christ  died  for  all  mankind,  and  that  the  offers  of 
salvation  are  made  to  all  indiscriminately.  Where¬ 
as,  we  conceive,  that  the  Scriptural  doctrine  of 


PREFACE. 


V 


election  is  not  an  election  of  some,  that  Christ 
might  die  for  them  in  particular,  while,  in  making 
atonement,  others  are  passed  by ;  but  an  election, 
“  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ,’’  out  of  all  mankind,  for  whom,  in 
the  view  of  him  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  atone¬ 
ment  has  been  made,  and  who  have  “  all,  with 
one  consent,  gone  their  way,”  and  refused  the 
invitation  to  the  Gospel  feast.  “  Known  unto  God 
are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning But  in  the 
manifestation  of  his  purposes,  mankind  are  consi¬ 
dered  as  having  sinned,  before  he  gave  his  Son 
to  die  for  them  :  an  atonement  as  made,  and  the 
offers  of  mercy  rejected,  before  any  are  “  cho¬ 
sen  to  salvation,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spi¬ 
rit  and  belief  of  the  truth.” 

The  nature  of  the  atonement  has  been  so  ex¬ 
plained,  as,  on  the  one  hand,  to  give  the  Socinian 
too  much  reason  to  charge  those  who  believe  in 
the  necessity  of  an  atonement,  with  representing 
God  as  unmerciful  and  implacable  ;  and,  on  the 
other,  of  giving  support  to  the  unscriptural  and 
soul-deceiving  doctrine  of  universal  salvation. 
“  The  whole  strength  of  this  objection,  ’  says 
Dr.  Edwards,  “  in  which  the  Socinians  have  so 
much  triumphed,  that  complete  atonement  is 
inconsistent  with  grace  in  the  pardon  of  the  sinner, 
depends  on  the  supposition,  that  the  atonement  of 
Christ  consists  in  the  literal  payment  of  a  debt , 
which  we  owed  to  God  ;  and  this  groundless 
supposition  being  set  aside,  the  objection  itself 


PREFACE. 


\i 

appears  equally  groundless,  and  vanishes  like  dew 
before  the  sun.”  To  this  we  add,  that  the  doc¬ 
trine  of  universal  salvation  rests  upon  no  other 
foundation  than  this  view  of  the  nature  of  the 
atonement. 

Should  this  Essay,  under  the  blessing  of  God, 
have  the  least  influence  in  correcting  the  errors 
which  have  been  mentioned,  the  author  will  think 
that  his  labour  has  not  been  in  vain. 


AN  ESSAY, 

<§•£. 


«  Bid  Christ  die  for  all  mankind  P} 

H'B  EF0I1E  we  proceed  to  take  into  considcratioa 
the  extent  of  the  atonement*  of  Christ,  which  is 

*  The  word  Atonement  is  but  once  used’in  the  English  translation  of 
the  New  Testament,  (Horn.  v.  11.)  And  even  here  it  appears  to  be 
improperly  translated :  for  the  corresponding  Greek  word  is  not 
tXcco-jj.oa-,  which  occurs,  1  John  ii.  2.  and  iv.  10.  and  is  translated  by  the 
word  propitiation,  and  which  properly  means  an  atonement  for  sin,  hut 
■AOtTccWa.'y'o,  which  means  reconciliation,  as  it  is  translated  in  the  mar¬ 
gin,  and  which,  wre  believe,  never  signifies  an  atonement  for  sin.  The 
Greek  Lexicons  give  no  other  meaaing  to  the  word,  than  reconci¬ 
liation.  The  translators  have  invariably,  except  in  the  place  un  i  a 
consideration,  translated  it  thus.  The  apostle,  in  this  and  the  preceding 
verse,  undoubtedly  speaks  of  a  reconciliation  of  heart  to  God.  His 
words  are  these:  “  For  if  when  we  were  enemies  we  were  reconciled 
[made  friends]  to  God,  by  the  death  of  his  son,  [as  the  ground  of  re¬ 
conciliation ;]  much  more  being  reconciled  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life. 
And  not  only  so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received  [rw  r.a.TuXXuymiJ  the  recon¬ 
ciliation.  What  reconciliation  ?  Undoubtedly  the  reconciliation  of 
heart  mentioned  in  the  preceding  verse ;  for  nothing  else  could  pro* 
*!uce  that  joy  in  God  of  which  the  apostle  speaks. 

If  the  remarks  which  we  have  made  upon  this  passage  of  holy  writ  he 
correct,  it  will  appear,  that  it  does  not,  (as  some  have  supposed,)  give 
-any  support  to  the  doctrine  of  those,  who  teach  us  that  all  for  whom 
Christ  made  an  atonement,  will  certainly  he  reconciled  to  God  and 
saved.  Since  this  passage  of  Scriptnre  can  give  not  the  least  support 
to  their  doctrine,  unless  the  verb  x.ct.vz'Wct.s-au,  from  which  the  words 
translated  reconciled,  in  the  tenth  verse,  are  formed,  mean  to  make 
*n  atonement  for  sin  ;  which  signification,  it  appears,  it  never  has. 


C  8  ) 


more  particularly  the  subject  of  our  present  inqui¬ 
ry,  we  will  endeavour  briefly  to  show  its  nature 
and  design. 

I.  Our  great  Creator  having  made  man,  gave  him 
a  law  which  was  holy,  just,  and  good,  for  the  re¬ 
gulation  of  his  conduct ;  according  to  which,  glory 
and  honour,  life  and  immortality,  were  the  designed 
rewards  of  perfect  obedience ;  hut  tribulation  and 
w  rath,  pain  and  death,  the  appointed  recompense  to 
those  who  should  violate  it.  This  law  was  not 
rashly  given.  It  required  no  more  than  what  is 
due,  agreeably  to  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  from 
dependant  creatures  to  their  Creator.  The  penalty 
annexed  to  it  w  as  not  greater  than  the  violators  of 
the  law  justly  deserve.  And  better  would  it  be  to 
have  no  world,  than  to  have  one  destitute  of  law 
and  government.  But  all  mankind,  without  ex¬ 
ception,  having  transgressed  this  law,  the  voice  of 
justice,  the  honour  of  God,  and  the  good  of  his 
kingdom  forbid,  that  the  violation  of  it  should  be 
disregarded.  Better  not  to  have  given  the  lawr, 
than  after  it  is  given,  not  to  enforce  it.  And  bet¬ 
ter,  ten  thousand  times  better,  that  all  of  Adam’s 
race  should  be  eternally  miserable,  than  the  cha¬ 
racter  of  God  be  dishonoured.  Here  then  we  see 
the  ruined  state  of  fallen  man.  The  law  of  God 
roust  be  “  magnified  and  made  honourable.”  But 
this  cannot  be  done  by  the  violators  of  it,  unless 
they  remain  for  ever  under  its  condemnation,  suf¬ 
fering  its  penalty.  So  far  are  they  from  being 
able  to  atone  for  the  transgression  of  this  holy  law, 
that  being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  and 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  they  only  add  iniquity 
to  iniquity,  and  thus  continually  make  themselves 


(  9  ) 


less  worthy  of  the  favour  of  God,  and  more  deserv¬ 
ing  of  punishment.  It  being  therefore  impossible, 
that  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  any  of  the  human 
race  should  be  justified  in  his  sight,  the  all-vise 
God,  willing  to  magnify  the  riches  of  his  grace  in 
the  salvation  of  fallen  men,  and  to  make  known 
more  fully  his  glorious  attributes  to  his  moral 
kingdom,  devised  the  wonderful  plan  of  salvation 
by  a  Redeemer.  Agreeably  to  this  plan,  the  eter¬ 
nal  Son  of  God,  the  second  Person  in  the  adorable 
Trinity,  voluntarily  took  upon  him  our  nature, 
and  in  our  stead  fully  satisfied  public  justice*,  by 
suffering  what  was,  as  to  the  purposes  of  God’s  go¬ 
vernment,  fully  equivalent  to  the  penalty  of  the  law, 
which  we  had  violated.  “  On  him  God  laid  the 
iniquities  of  us  all.”  “  He  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions  ;  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities.” 
“  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are  all  things,  and 
by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  un¬ 
to  glory,  to  make  the  captain  of  their  salvation 
perfect  through  sufferings.”  Although  we  con¬ 
ceive  that  the  dignity  of  Christ’s  character  ren¬ 
dered  it  unnecessary,  that  lie  should  suffer  the  same 
quantity  of  evil  as  that  which  was  due  to  the  vio¬ 
lators  of  the  law,  and  although  his  sufferings  were 
in  some  respects  different  in  kind  from  those  of  the 
damned,  since  he  did  not  endure  the  gnawings  of  a 
guilty  conscience,  the  horrors  of  despair,  nor  the 
torments  necessarily  attendant  upon  a  mind  filled 
with  enmity  to  God,  yet  they  answered  the  same 
end  in  the  divine  government :  as  great  an  evidence 

*  See  Dr.  Edwards  upon  the  Atonement ;  to  which  also  we  would 
refer  the  reader,  for  a  more  particular  account  of  the  nature  of  thfc 
Atonement. 


(  10  ) 


II 

is  given  to  all  intelligent  creatures  of  the  evil  na-  i 
ture  and  demerit  of  sin,  of  God’s  abhorrence  of  it, 
and  fixed  determination  to  punish  it,  as  could  be  j 
given  by  the  eternal  punishment  of  all  the  human 
race.  And  also,  by  our  Saviour’s  voluntarily  suf- 
feringin  our  stead,  the  law  is  publicly  acknowledg¬ 
ed,  even  by  the  Son  of  God,  as  “  holy,  just,  and 
good.”  The  spirit  of  it  is  fulfilled,  and  the  for¬ 
giveness  of  those  for  whom  Christ  died,  upon  such 
terms  as  infinite  wisdom  has  judged  expedient,  is 
made  consistent  with  the  preservation  of  the  cha¬ 
racter  and  government  of  God,  and  consequently 
with  the  good  of  the  universe.  But  it  is  asked. 
How  were  our  iniquities  laid  on  Christ  ?  How  could 
he  hear  our  sins  ?  It  is  said  by  some,  that  they  were 
transferred  to  him.  But  the  Scriptures  inform  us, 
that  Christ  suffered  as  a  lamb,  “  without  blemish 
and  without  spot  ;”  that  he  suffered  the  just  for 
the  unjust,  and  that  he  was  God's  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  he  was  ever  well  pleased.  We  may  therefore 
be  certain,  that  guilt  was  never  attached  to  his 
character,  in  the  sight  of  God.  Neither  is  it  true, 
that  those  for  whom  Christ  died  are  without  sin. 
Repentance,  and  prayer  to  God  for  forgiveness,  is 
the  daily  employment  even  of  those  whose  hearts 
have  been  renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Nor  is  this 
unsuitable ;  for  the  Scriptures  teach  us,  that  “  if 
we  say  we  have  no  sin ,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and 
the  truth  is  not  in  us.”  But  a  transfer,  which 
leaves  the  thing  transferred  with  the  original  pos¬ 
sessor,  and  him  to  whom  it  is  transferred  without 
it,  is  to  11s  wholly  unintelligible.  Besides,  as  guilt 
is  ever  personal,  it  appears  to  us  impossible,  that  it 
should  be  transferred.  We  can  as  easily  conceive, 


(  *1  ) 

that  the  actions  themselves  should  be  transferred, 
as  the  guilt  of  them.  The  question  therefore  re¬ 
curs,  How  did  Christ  hear  our  sins  ?  The  apos¬ 
tle  Peter  answers  it.  1  Pet.  ii.  24.  “  Who  his  own 

self  hare  our  sins,  in  his  own  body,  on  the  tree,”  or 
cross.  Christ  hare  our  sins,  by  bearing  the  suffer¬ 
ings  due  to  us  for  them.  Although  our  sins  were 
not  transferred  to  him,  yet  we  are  abundantly  taught 
in  the  Scriptures,  that  his  sufferings  were  vicari¬ 
ous ;  that  he  died  as  a  substitute  for  sinners  of 
Adam’s  race,  and  for  them  only.  He  is  said 
to  die  for  the  ungodly— for  all — to  suffer  the  just 
for  the  unjust — to  be  wounded  for  our  transgres¬ 
sions ,  and  bruised  for  our  iniquities — to  redeem  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for 
us — to  be  made  sin  for  us,  and  the  like.  But  not¬ 
withstanding  this,  those  in  whose  stead  Christ  died, 
are  personally  as  sinful,  as  guilty,  and  as  hell-de¬ 
serving,  as  if  he  had  not  died  for  them.  Nor  have 
they,  in  justice,  the  least  claim  on  account  of  the 
atonement,  considered  abstractly  from  God’s  cove¬ 
nant  faithfulness,  either  to  the  favour  of  God,  or  to 
deliverance  from  deserved  punishment.  Christ  did 
not  satisfy  distributive  or  personal,  but  public  jus¬ 
tice  :  that  is,  his  atonement,  merely,  hath  not  brought 
the  Almighty  under  obligation  to  save  those  for  whom 
he  died,  but  hath  made  it  consistent  with  the  di¬ 
vine  glory  for  him  to  pardon  them,  upon  such  terms 
as  he  pleases.  In  proof  of  this,  we  offer  the  fol¬ 
lowing  reasons  : 

1.  Daily  experience  doth  prove,  that  it  is  not  in 
fact  true,  that  Christ  hath  so  satisfied  for  the  sins 
of  those  for  whom  he  died,  that  God  caunot  justly 
punish  them  for  the  same  sins.  How  else  shall  we 

•  jjt  JLa  /•/'  / '’•  > 

***  ft*/.’.  (v  A/  .  ~y: 


(  12  ) 


account  for  the  chastisements,  the  innumerable 
pains,  the  dying  groans  even  of  the  children  of 
God  ?  Are  not  these  some  of  the  wages  of  iniquity  ? 
Do  the  spotless  angels  who  surround  the  throne  of 
God,  undergo  such  sufferings  ?  It  may  he  said,  that 
these  are  only  the  merciful  chastisements  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  for  the  good  of  his  children.  Be 
it  so.  But  does  a  kind  parent  chastise  his  children 
for  no  fault?  For  our  part,  we  can  see  no  way  of 
accounting  for  the  acknowledged  fact,  that  those 
for  whom  Christ  died,  do  suffer  sickness,  bereave¬ 
ments,  pain,  and  death,  unless  it  be  just  for  them 
to  suffer  for  the  same  sins  for  which  Christ  died. 

2.  If  justice  can  have  no  claim  upon  those  for 
whom  Christ  died,  and  if  he  has  so  purchased  for 
them  deliverance  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  sanc¬ 
tification,  and  the  happiness  of  heaven,  that  these 
things  are  injustice  due  to  them,  are  they  not  very 
much  injured  by  being  kept  so  long  out  of  the  pur¬ 
chased  inheritance  ;  especially  considering  the  evils 
to  which  they  are  subjected  in  this  world  ?  Should 
it  be  said,  that  Christ,  in  the  covenant  with  his  Fa¬ 
ther,  may  have  agreed,  that  those  for  whom  he  died, 
should  be,  for  a  time,  deprived  of  the  inheritance ; 
we  answer  :  If  it  be  granted  that  (his  covenant  will 
admit  of  conditions ;  if  those  for  whom  Christ 
died  may,  without  injustice,  be  deprived  of  the 
blessings,  which  he  hath  purchased  for  a  time; 
who  knows,  that  the  conditions  of  this  covenant  are 
not  such,  that  some  of  those  for  whom  he  died  may 
be  deprived  of  these  blessings  for  ever  ?  The  truth 
is,  by  granting  that  they  may,  without  injustice,  he 
deprived  of  them  just  as  long  as  infinite  wisdom 
sees  fit,  we  grant  that  these  blessings  are  not,  in 


(  13  ) 


justice  due  to  them.  For  that  which  justice  de¬ 
mands,  cannot  be  thus  withheld. 

S.  If  it  be  unjust,  that  those  for  w  hom  Christ  died, 
should  be  punished  for  their  sins,  were  they  not  when 
he  died  freed  from  the  curse  of  the  law  ;  i.  e.  justifi¬ 
ed,  before  they  believed,  or  even  should  they  never  be¬ 
lieve  ?  And  is  not  this  directly  contrary  to  the  testi¬ 
mony  of  Scripture  ?  The  Scriptures  inform  us,  that 
we  are  justified  by  faith.  But  how  can  this  be,  if  we 
are  justified  before  we  have  faith  ?  The  Scriptures 
also  inform  us,  that  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth ;  that  he 
that  belie  veth  not  is  condemned  already;  that  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him,  &c. 

4.  As  it  is  believed,  by  those  who  advocate  the 
doctrine  which  we  oppose,  that  Christ  has  paid  the 
debt  of  obedience,  as  well  as  the  debt  of  punish¬ 
ment  ;  if,  therefore,  it  he  unjust,  that  those  for 
whom  he  died  should  suffer  personally  for  their 
sins,  because  this  would  be  exacting  the  debt  tw  ice, 
would  it  not,  for  the  same  reason,  he  equally  unjust, 
that  personal  obedience  should  be  required  of  them? 

“  According  to  this  doctrine,”  says  Dr.  Smalley, 
“  all  obligation  is  now  on  God's  part,  and  all  grace  on 
theirs.  The  Almighty  is  holden,  and  justly  stands 
bound  to  them ;  they  are  free  from  all  obligation 
to  him  !  All  the  debts  of  those  for  whom  Christ 
died,  whether  of  duty  or  suffering,  are  for  ever  can¬ 
celled  !  Christ  hath  done  all  their  duty  for  them, 
as  well  as  taken  aw  ay  all  possible  criminality  from 
them !  If  they  now  love  or  serve  God,  it  is  of  mere 
gratuity  ;  they  are  not  at  all  obliged  [in  justice]  to  do 
so  !  If  he  bestow  upon  them  all  the  good  in  his  power, 
to  all  eternity,  it  is  of  debt,  absolute  debt,  in  the  bigh¬ 
ts 


(  i*  ) 


est  sense  of  the  word  !  He  can  do  no  more  for  them, 
than  by  a  merit  of  condignity,  bath  been  purchas¬ 
ed  for  them,  and  is  of  absolute  right  due  to  them.” 
But,  reader,  stop !  Is  this  the  Gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God? 

5.  If  justice  has  no  claim  upon  those  for  whom 
Christ  died,  where  is  the  propriety  of  their 
praying  for  pardon  of  sin,  or  deliverance  from  the 
evils  of  this  life,  or  of  that  which  is  to  come,  due  to 
them  for  sin  ?  To  pray,  is  to  ask  a  j favour.  It  is 
unreasonable  that  we  should  be  obliged  to  pray  for 
that  which  is  our  just  due.  But  if  justice  will  not 
admit,  that  those  for  whom  Christ  died  should  be 
punished  for  their  sins,  it  is  no  favour  not  to  punish 
them ;  and  do  they  not  therefore  act  an  inconsist¬ 
ent  part,  in  praying  either  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  or 
for  deliverance  from  punishment  ?  Yea,  do  not  such 
prayers  too  plainly  intimate,  that  possibly  the  judge 
of  all  the  earth  may  not  do  right  ? 

6.  If  the  doctrine  which  we  oppose  be  true, 
Christ's  intercession  appears  to  be  improper  and 
useless.  We  trust  it  will  not  be  denied,  that  the 
intercession  of  Christ  is  an  act  distinct  from  his 
atonement,  and  subsequent  to  it.  If  then  the 
atonement  of  Christ  alone  places  those  for  whom 
lie  died  in  such  a  situation,  that  justice  has  no  claim 
upon  them,  why  should  he,  because  they  sin,  “  ever 
live  to  make  intercession  for  them,”  when  there  is 
nothing  against  them  ? 

7.  The  sentiment  which  we  oppose,  appears  to  us 
to  be  contrary  to  the  Scriptural  doctrine  of  salva¬ 
tion  by  grace.  St  Paul  teaches  us,  that  we  are 
justified  freely  ly  the  grace  of  God ;  that  we  have 
forgiveness,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace,  fcc. 


-  (  15  ) 

Hut  what  grace  can  there  be  in  justifying  those, 
whom  justice  itself  cannot  condemn?  Grace  is  fa¬ 
vour  shown  to  the  ill-deserving.  If,  therefore,  the 
obedience  and  sufferings  of  Christ  were  transferred 
to  those  for  whom  he  died,  or  so  imputed  to  them, 
that  God  cannot  be  just  if  he  do  not  justify  and  save 
them,  is  it  not  evident,  whatever  grace  there  may 
be  in  God’s  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  them,  that 
their  justification  is  not  an  act  of  free  grace,  but  of 
debt?  But  we  have  not  been  able  to  had  any  pas¬ 
sages  of  Scripture  which  assert,  that  God  is  under 
obligation,  merely  on  account  of  the  atonement,  to 
justify  and  save  those  for  whom  Christ  died,  or 
that  they  all  will  be  saved.  When  God  maketh 
one  to  differ  from  another,  by  granting  to  him  re¬ 
pentance  and  remission  of  sins,  and  by  bringing 
him  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  it  is  never  given 
as  a  reason  for  this  difference,  that  Christ  died  for 
the  one,  and  not  for  the  other ;  but  the  reason  which 
our  Saviour  gives  is  this :  Even  so,  Father, 

for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.”  Notwithstand¬ 
ing  the  atonement  of  Christ,  God  still  claims  the 

right  of  HAVING  MERCY  UPON  WHOM  HE  WIIX  HAVE 

mercy.  We  find,  indeed,  that  those  who  are  saved, 
are  justified  wholly  on  account  of  the  merits  of 
Christ  ,•  that  they  are  “  reconciled  to  God  by  the 
death  of"  his  Son,”  (Rom.  v.  10.)  and  that  if  God 
please  to  justify  his  elect  on  account  of  the  death 
of  Christ,  no  one  has  any  right  to  condemn  them, 
or  to  lay  any  thing  to  their  charge,  (Rom.  viii.  33, 
34.)  And  we  also  find,  that  all  whom  the  Father 
hath  given  to  the  Son,  as  the  reward  of  his  obe¬ 
dience  unto  death,  “  shall  come  unto  him,”  and 
that  “  he  that  eometh,  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.”- 


(  16  ) 


Nor  should  we  hesitate  to  acknowledge,  that  the 
Father  may  be,  by  promise ,  under  obligation  to  the 
Son,  for  the  salvation  of  all  who  are  thus  given  to 
him,  that  is,  for  the  salvation  of  all  the  elect ; 
and  that  in  due  time,  agreeably  to  this  promise, 
faith  and  repentance  shall  be  given  to  them, 
and  they  be  made  meet  for  an  inheritance  among 
the  saints.  But  let  it  be  observed,  that  this  obli¬ 
gation  is  founded  upon  the  promise  of  God, 
to  his  Son,  and  that  he  is  under  no  obligation 
whatever  to  the  sinner,  (either  by  promise,  or  any 
other  way,)  to  save  him,  as  long  as  he  continues 
impenitent  and  unbelieving.  Aud  we  trust  also 
that  it  will  be  made  to  appear,  in  the  course  of 
this  Essay,  that  Christ  died  for  some  who  are  not 
of  the  elect,  and  consequently  for  some  who  will 
never  be  “  reconciled  to  God,  by  the  death  of  his 
Son.” 

in  short,  the  nature  and  design  of  the  atonement 
cannot  be  better  expressed,  than  in  the  words  of  St. 
Paul,  Rom.  iii.  25.  “  Whom  God  hath  set  forth  to 
be  a  propitiation,  (or  an  atonement.)  through  faith  , 
in  his  blood.”  For  what  purpose  ?  “  To  declare 
his  righteousness,  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are 
passed,  through  tlie  forbearance  of  God.  To  declare, 

I  say,  at  ibis  time,  his  righteousness,  that  he  might 
be  just,  and  yet  the  justifiek  of  him  that  believ- 
eth  ix  jesus.”  This*  was  all  that  was  necessary 
to  be  done.  There  was  need  only,  that  a  way 
should  he  provided  for  the  honourable  exercise  of 
grace,  and  the  boundless  goodness  of  God  would 
prompt  him  to  save  to  the  uttermost,  as  far  as  infi¬ 
nite  wisdom  should  judge  best,  or  the  good  of  (he 
universe  admit. 


C  17  ) 


II.  Having  thus  briefly  explained  the  nature  and 
design  of  the  atonement,  we  will  now  inquire,  whe¬ 
ther  this  atonement  was  made  tor  all  mankind  ?  The 
question  is  not  whether  God  has  determined  to  sane, 
all  mankind.  The  purpose  of  God  with  respect  to 
the  number  that  shall  be  saved,  is  a  thing  entirely 
distinct.  Neither  do  we  ask,  whether  God  does  as 
much,  in  every  respect,  for  the  salvation  of  one 
man,  as  he  does  for  the  salvation  of  another.  We 
are  certain  that  he  does  not.  But  our  inquiry  is. 
Whether  the  atonement  he  sufficient  for  the  justifica¬ 
tion  and  actual  redemption  of  all  mankind,  without 
exception,  if  they  would  comply  with  the  Gospel  terms 
of  salvation  ? 

That  the  atonement  has  been  thus  made  for  all 
mankind,  we  think  is  evident. 

From  the  command  of  our  Saviour,  that  the  Gos¬ 
pel  should  be  preached  to  all  mankind: 

From  the  invitations,  exhortations,  and  even 
commands,  addressed  to  all  who  hear  the  Gospel, 
to  repent  of  their  sins,  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  to 
put  their  trust  in  him  for  salvation,  whether  they 
are  elected  or  not : 

From  the  reason  assigned  by  St.  Paul  to  enforce 
the  duty  of  praying  for  all  mankind,  living  upon  the 
earth  ;  for  the  non-elect,  as  well  as  the  elect :  and 

From  numerous  passages  of  Scripture,  which,  as 
we  conceive,  expressly  declare  it. 

1.  Our  Saviour  has  commanded  his  ministers  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  all  mankind,  without  excep¬ 
tion. 

The  argument  will  have  its  full  weight,  if  if  can 
be  shown,  that  our  Saviour  commanded  his  minis¬ 
ters  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  those  who  were  not 
^  B  2 


(  18  ) 


elec  led.  But  who  will  deny  that  he  commanded 
them  to  do  this  ?  The  Gospel,  agreeably  to  our  Sa¬ 
viour’s  direction,  Avas  first  preached  to  the  Jews  ia 
general.  But  did  not  a  large  majority  of  those,  to 
whom,  as  Paul  and  Barnabas  declared,  it  was  ne¬ 
cessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  be  first  preach¬ 
ed,  “  put  it  from  them,  and  judge  themselves  un¬ 
worthy  of  eternal  life,”  and  yet  were  the  apostles 
directed  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  none  but  the  elect  ? 
Did  not  our  Saviour  also  command  his  apostles  to 
“  go  and  teach  all  nations  ?”  And,  in  short,  did  he 
not  command  them  to  go  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature  ?”  And  is  not 
the  same  command  addressed  to  his  ministers  in 
every  age  ?  But  what  is  the  Gospel  ?  Good  news  is 
the  import  of  the  term.  Good  news  is  therefore  to 
foe  preached  in  all  the  world,  to  every  creature.  Ac¬ 
cordingly,  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  announced 
to  the  shepherds  the  birth  of  our  Saviour,  he  says; 

Behold,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy, 
which  shall  be  to  all  people.”  Yes,  to  all  with¬ 
out  exception,  wherever  the  sound  of  the  Gospel 
shall  come.  “  And  suddenly  there  was  with  the 
angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host,  praising 
God,  and  saying,  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
and  on  partli  peace,  good  will  towards  men  men 
in  general.  For  men  do  not  diminish  the  grace  of 
God,  by  rejecting  it  and  trampling  it  under  their 
feet.  Had  God  in  his  eternal  purpose  not  “  chosen 
one  soul  to  salvation  through  sanctification  of  the 
spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth,”  and  consequently 
permitted  all  men  to  reject  his  offered  mercy,  and 
to  perish  in  their  sins,  the  heavenly  host  might 
have  sung  the  same  song.  But  if  the  particular 


(  19  ) 


number  of  the  elect  and  non-elect  be  determined, 
previously  to  the  belief  of  the  former,  (which  is 
certainly  the  ease  :)  and  if  Christ  by  his  atonement 
made  no  provision  whatever  for  the  salvation  of 
the  non-elect ;  how  his  birth  could  be  considered  by 
the  angel  as  good  news  of  great  joy  to  them,  or  how 
the  apostles  could  consistently,  on  account  of  the 
atonement,  or  indeed  on  any  other  account,  preach 
good  news  to  them,  appears  to  us  utterly  inconceiv¬ 
able. 

2.  All  men,  who  hear  the  Gospel,  the  non-elect 
as  well  as  the  elect,  are  invited,  exhorted,  and  even 
commanded,  to  repent  of  their  sins,  to  believe  in 
Christ,  and  to  put  their  trust  in  him  for  salvation. 

The  truth  of  this  proposition  cannot  be  denied. 
“  As  I  live,  saith  the  Cord  God,  I  have  no  pleasure 
in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  hut  that  the  wicked 
turn  from  his  way  and  live.  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  from 
your  evil  ways,  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of 
Israel  !”  “  The  Lord  is  long-suffering  to  us- ward, 
not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  hut  that  all 
should  come  to  repentance.”  «  But  God  now  com- 
mandeth  all  men,  every  where,  to  repent.”  «  He 
that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  he  saved,  and 
he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.”  «  And  this 
is  his  commandment,  that  we  should  believe  on  the 
name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.”  “  The  Spirit  and 
the  bride  say,  Come,  and  let  him  that  heai-eth,  say, 
Come, — and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the 
w  ater  of  life  freely.”  It  would  be  easy  to  quote 
many  more  passages  of  Scripture  of  a  similar  im¬ 
port,  if  these  were  not  abundantly  sufficient  to  es¬ 
tablish  the  truth  of  the  proposition. 

We  would  now  seriously  inquire,  whether  these 

-\  ■.  . 


C  20  ) 


things  are  so ;  whether  it  he  true,  that  God  does 
command  all  men,  every  where,  (who  hear  the  Gos¬ 
pel,)  to  repent,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish , 
but  that  all  should  obey  the  command,  come  to  re¬ 
pentance,  and  consequently  be  saved.  And  if  this 
be  true,  we  would  next  inquire,  whether  God  is 
willing  that  they  should  be  saved,  through  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ,  or  by  some  other  name.  If  it  bo 
granted,  that  there  is  no  other  name  given  under 
heaven,  among  men,  by  which  any  can  be  saved,  but 
the  name  of  Jesus,  we  would  wish  to  know,  how 
God  can  be  said  to  be  willing,  that  those  for  whom 
Christ  has  not  died,  should  be  saved  through  faith 
in  him^  ! 

Again,  Does  not  the  Gospel  require  every  man 
not  only  to  believe  in  Christ,  but  also  to  believe,  that 

*  As  some  suppose,  that  it  is  calculated  only  to  mock  and  delude 
sinners,  to  command  them  to  repent  and  believe,  and  to  tell  them  that 
God  is  willing  that  they  should  be  saved,  if  they  will  comply  with  the 
terms  of  the  Gospel,  when  they  are  unable  to  do  it,  we  would  observe, 

1.  That  it  is  in  fact  true,  that  God  does  command  all  who  hear  the 
Gospel,  the  non-elect  as  well  as  the  elect,  to  repent  and  believe,  and  un¬ 
less  he  is  unw  illing,  that  they  should  obey  his  command,  he  is  willing 
that  they  should  be  saved  ;  for  salvation  is  promised  to  tlie  penitent  and 
believing.  Besides,  it  is  expressly  declared,  (l  Tim.  ii.  4.  k  2  Pet.  iii. 
9.)  that  God  is  willing  that  all  men  should  be  saved.  So  that  whether 
it  be  calculated  only  to  delude  sinners  or  not,  to  tell  them,  without  distinc¬ 
tion,  that  God  is  willing  they  should  ail  be  saved  and  come  to  the  know¬ 
ledge  of  the  truth,  we  have  the  example  of  the  word  of  God  to  warrant 
us  to  do  it. 

2.  Sinners  are  under  no  inability  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  the 
Gospel,  but  that  which  is  wholly  of  a  moral  kind.  Nothing  but  a  wick¬ 
ed  heart,  a  perverse  and  obstinate  will,  hinders  them  from  complying. 
They  will  not  come  unto  Christ,  that  they  may  have  life.  Their  inabi¬ 
lity  is  therefore  their  sin,  and  not  their  excuse,  and  is  perfectly  consistent 
with  their  being  commanded  to  repent  and  believe,  with  sincere  pro¬ 
mises  of  eternal  life,  if  they  will  obey. 


(  21  ) 


he  isi  particular,  may  be  saved,  if  lie  will  comply 
with  the  requisition,  that  is,  if  he  will  believe  ?  Is' 
not  a  promise  of  salvation  generally  connected  w  ith 
the  command  to  believe  ?  And  are  we  not  under  ob¬ 
ligation  to  believe  that  God  will  fulfil  the  promises 
which  he  himself  has  made  ?  The  language  of  the 
Gospel  to  every  unbeliever  is,  “  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  tliou  shalt  be  saved.”  Are 
not  then  the  non-elect,  provided  no  atonement  has 
been  made  for  them,  required  to  believe  that  which 
is  not  true  ?  And  should  a  minister  of  the  Gospel 
address  one  for  whom  Christ  did  not  die,  in  the 
same  words  as  Paul  and  Barnabas  did  the  jailor, 
would  he  speak  the  truth  ?  Does  not  every  one 
see,  that  if  no  atonement  has  been  made  for  tbe 
non-elect,  their  salvation  is  utterly  impossible  upon 
any  condition  or  supposition  whatever  ?  If  this  be 
not  the  case,  an  atonement  was  unnecessary :  for  if 
the  non-elect  can  be  saved  without  it,  the  elect 
might  have  been ;  and  will  not  then  the  infinitely 
wise  God  stand  chargeable  with  inconsistency,  in 
giving  his  Son  to  die  for  us,  when  we  might  have 
been  saved  w  ithout  it  ?  Indeed  it  appears  highly 
improper,  that  any  for  whom  Christ  has  not  died, 
should  be  commanded,  to  believe  in  him,  or  to  put 
their  trust  in  him  for  salvation,  since  they  cannot 
!  comply  with  the  command,  without  believing  that 
Christ  died  for  them,  unless  they  dishonour  the 
character  of  Jehovah,  by  believing  that  Christ’s 
death  was  unnecessary.  That  the  inconsistencies 
of  the  scheme  which  we  oppose  may  be  made,  if 
possible,  still  more  plain,  let  us  for  a  moment  ima¬ 
gine,  that  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  should  address 
his  hearers  in  such  language  as  the  follow  mg  ~ 


( 


) 


il  God,  our  Creator,  beholding  the  ruined  and  de¬ 
plorable  state  into  which  the  whole  human  race 
were  plunged  bty  sin,  so  loved  this  rebellious  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  ever¬ 
lasting  life.  Foi*  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world 
through  him  might  he  saved.  I  exhort  and  entreat 
you  all,  therefore,  to  be  sensible,  that  you  are  in  so 
sinful,  perishing,  and  helpless  a  state,  as  to  need 
just  such  a  Saviour,  and  to  manifest  your  sense  of 
this,  by  repentance  towards  God,  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  For  there  is  no  other  possible 
way  of  deliverance,  no  other  name  given  under 
heaven  among  men,  by  which  any  can  be  saved. 
But  by  a  compliance  with  these  terms*,  every  one 
of  you  may  have  eternal  life.  This  good  news  of 
eternal  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ,  all  his 
ministers  are  sent  forth  to  preach  to  every  human 
creature,  of  every  nation,  and  of  every  language. 
Whosoever  will,  therefore,  let  him  take  of  the  wa¬ 
ter  of  life  freely,  for  there  is  no  respect  of  persons 
with  God.  But  I  must  also  inform  you,  that  God 
did  not  send  his  Son  into  the  world,  that  all  of  the 
world  through  him  might  he  saved.  The  salvation 
of  a  large  proportion  of  the  human  race  is  not  now, 

*  When  we  speak  of  faiih  or  repentance  as  a  terra  or  condition  of 
salvation,  we  would,  by  no  means,  be  understood  to  intend  a  meritorious 
condition  ;  as  this  would  be  directly  contrary  to  the  very  nature  of  faith 
and  repentance  :  for  these  graces  imply  an  absolute  renunciation  of  all 
merit  in  the  subject  of  them,  and  an  entire  dependence  upon  the  merits 
of  Christ  for  salvation.  But  God  hath  required  all  men  to  repent  and 
believe,  and  without  a  compliance  with  this  requisition,  no  person  can 
be  saved  :  for  it  is  altogether  unsuitable,  that  God  should  bestow  eternal 
life  upon  a  person  of  an  opposite  character. 


nor  lias  it  ever  been,  since  tlie  fall  of  man,  in  any 
1  sense,  possible.  For  since  Christ  hath  made  no 
atonement  for  them,  their  salvation  is  as  impossible 
as  if  he  had  never  died.  Yea,  it  is  more  than  pro¬ 
bable,  that  a  large  number  of  you  who  now  hear 
me,  (who,  as  I  have  just  observed,  may  every  one 
be  saved,  if  you  will  believe,)  and  possibly  all  of 
you,  belong  to  that  number  for  whose  salvation  no 
provision  has  been  made.  But  this  alters  not  the 
ease.  It  is  as  much  the  duty  of  those,  for  whom 
Christ  did  not  die,  to  believe  that  they  may  he  saved 
if  they  will  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  Gospel, 
as  it  is  of  those  for  whom  he  did  die  ;  and  they 
have  as  much  encouragement,  and  are  under  as  great 
i  obligation  to  put  their  trust  in  Christ  for  salvation, 

,  as  if  he  actually  had  died  for  them  !  Yea,  they  are 
commanded  to  do  it,  under  pain  of  eternal  damna- 
tion  !”  We  are  sensible  that  the  inconsistency  of  the 
foregoing  language  is  so  manifest,  that  no  minister 
of  the  Gospel  could  seriously  deliver  it  as  his  own 
sentiment  •,  and  yet  it  appears  to  us  to  he  no  more  inr 
consistent  than  that  systemwhich  teaches  us,  that  the 
invitations,  promises,  and  commands  of  the  Gospel, 
are  addressed  to  all  mankind,  whilst  the  atonement 
is  made  only  for  the  elect. 

But  here  it  is  said.  As  the  minister  does  not 
know  that  any  of  his  hearers  are  of  that  number 
for  whom  Christ  did  not  die,  it  is  proper  for  him  to 
invite  and  exhort  them  all,  in  the  same  manner  as 
he  would,  if  lie  knew  that. provision  was  made  for 
the  salvation  of  them  all ;  for  since  none  but  tlsose 
for  whom  Christ  died,  will  comply  with  the  terms  of 
salvation,  no  disappointment  will  be  occasioned. 

To  this  we  answer.  Neither  dees  the  minister 


(  2i  ) 


know,  (if  the  atonement  be  limited,)  that  Christ 
has  (lied  for  any  of  his  hearers.  If  his  ignorance, 

'  therefore,  will  warrant  him  to  address  the  whole  of 
his  audience,  as  if  Christ  had  died  for  them  all, 
why  may  it  not  also  warrant  him  to  address  them,  ; 
as  if  Christ  had  died  for  none  of  them ;  and  to  tell 
them  plainly,  that  as  no  provision  has  been  made 
for  their  salvation,  he  has  no  good  news,  i.  e.  no  j 
Gospel,  for  them  !  But  we  apprehend  it  can  make  no 
difference,  whether  the  minister  knows  those  for  ; 
whom  Christ  died  or  not.  The  message  w  hich  he 
delivers  is  not  his  own,  hut  his  Lord’s,  who  does 
know.  And  the  propriety  of  a  message  from  hea¬ 
ven,  does  not  depend  upon  the  ignorance  of  the  mes¬ 
senger,  since  this  can  make  no  difference,  either  in 
the  message,  or  in  the  state  of  those  to  whom  it  is 
delivered.  And  we  presume  it  will  he  readily  ac¬ 
knowledged,  that  if  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  did 
know  any  for  whom  Christ  had  made  no  atonement, 
it  would  he  improper,  if  not  dishonest,  to  mock 
them  with  the  offers  of  mercy.  And  shall  we  at¬ 
tribute  that  to  the  Master,  which  would  be  disho¬ 
nourable  in  the  servant?  God  forbid! 

Neither  can  we  conceive,  that  the  unw  illingness 
of  the  non-elect  to  accept  of  the  offers  of  mercy, 
can  make  the  offers  sincere,  when  if  they  would  ac¬ 
cept,  they  must  be  disappointed. 

Should  a  man  send  out  his  servant  to  invite  his 
neighbours  to  come  and  dine  with  him,  to  tell  them 
that  “  his  oxen  and  fadings  are  killed,  and  that  ail 
things  are  ready,”  and  to  urge  and  entreat  them  to 
come  immediately,  when  at  the  same  time  lie  had 
made  provision  only  for  his  own  family,  and  a  few 
particular  friends,  without  having  prepared,  or  liar- 


(  25  ) 

ing  even  intended  to  prepare  any  tiling*  for  those 
whom  he  so  earnestly  invites;  would  he  he  clear  from 
the  charge  of  insincerity,  because  he  actually  knew, 
that  his  neighbours  hated  him  so,  that  not  one  of 
them  would  come  ?  And  if  his  neighbours  should 
ever  discover  the  truth,  would  they  consider  his 
pressing  invitation  as  an  expression  of  love  and 
good-will,  or  as  an  insult  ? 

3.  Our  third  argument  to  prove  that  the  atone¬ 
ment  was  made  for  all  mankind,  or  for  the  non- 
elect  as  w  ell  as  the  elect,  is  founded  upon  the  rea¬ 
son  assigned  by  St.  Paul  to  enforce  the  duty  of  pray¬ 
ing  for  all  men  living  upon  the  earth,  the  non-elect 
being  included  as  well  as  the  elect. 

The  direction  of  St.  Paul  to  Timothy  to  pray  for 
all  men,  is  in  these  w  ords  : — “  I  exhort,  therefore, 
first  of  all,  that  supplications,  prayers,  interces¬ 
sions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for  all  men, 
for  kings,  and  for  all  in  authority,  that  we  may 
lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and 
honesty.”  That  there  were  living  upon  the  earth 
those  who  w  ere  not  elected  to  eternal  life,  at  the 
time  when  the  Holy  Ghost  inspired  St.  Paul  to  give 
this  direction  to  Timothy,  w  ill  not  he  denied.  And  if 
there  were  any  such,  Timothy  was  exhorted  to  pray 
for  them  ;  for  he  w  as  exhorted  to  pray  for  all  men, 
even  for  kings,  and  all  in  authority ;  although  the 
rulers  of  the  earth  were  then  generally  heathens, 
and  continued  so  until  their  death ;  and  although 
St.  Paul  himself  taught  his  brethren,  that  “  not 
many  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not 
many  noble,9’  were  called,  but  that  “  God  had  cho¬ 
sen  the  weak  things  of  the  w  orld  to  confound  the 
things  which'  were  mighty  ”  It  being,  therefore, 

c 


(  26  ) 

evident,  that  Timothy  was  exhorted  to  pray  for 
those  who  were  not  elected,  as  well  as  for  those 
who  were,  we  will  now  consider  the  reason  which 
the  apostle  gives  to  enforce  this  duty.  “  For  this 
is  good  and  acceptable,  in  the  sight  of  God  our  Sa¬ 
viour,  who  is  willing  that  all  men  should  he  saved*, 
and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  For  there 
is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  man, 
the  man  Christ  Jesus  who  gave  himself  [amAurjov]  a 
price  of  redemption  for  all,”  or,  (which  is  the  same 
thing,)  made  an  atonement  for  all.  These  words  of 
the  apostle  appear  to  us  incontrovcrtibly  to  establish 
the  truth  of  the  doctrine,  that  Christ  died  for  all 
mankind,  unless  it  can  be  shown,  that  all  those  for 
whom  Timothy  was  exhorted  to  pray  were,  at  least, 
probably  elected  to  eternal  life  :  which  is  a  task,  it 
is  presumed,  no  one  will  undertake.  For  it  will  not 
be  denied,  that  the  word  all,  when  it  expresses  the 
number  of  those  that  God  our  Saviour  is  willing 
should  be  saved,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  for  w  hom  he  gave  himself  a  price  of  re¬ 
demption,  must  include  as  many,  as  when  it  ex¬ 
presses  the  number  of  those  for  whom  Timothy 
was  exhorted  to  pray.  Every  one  will  immediately 
see,  that  if  it  does  not,  there  will  be  no  consistency 
in  the  apostle’s  reasoning.  What  propriety  would 
there  be  in  exhorting  Timothy  to  pray  for  all  men, 
for  kings,  and  for  all  in  authority,  because  our  Sa¬ 
viour  was  w  illing  that  some  men,  and  some  in  au¬ 
thority  only,  should  be  saved,  and  had  manifested 

*  This  is  the  literal  translation  of  the  Greek  iravra<r  eiv&gwTovr 
9eXe»  ffuidrivxi,  which  has  no  reference  to  the  decretive  will,  or  purpose 
of  God,  hut,  (as  the  best  Commentators  observe,)  is  of  the  same  im¬ 
port  as  2  Pet.  iu.  9. 


(  27  ) 

this  willingness  by  giving  himself  a  ransom  for 
them  ?  Indeed  there  would  be,  (as  Dr.  Scott,  in  his 
notes  on  this  passage,  well  observes,)  as  much  pro¬ 
priety  in  saying,  “  God  willeth  or  purposeth  that 
all  men  should  be  damned,  as  there  is  in  saying,  as 
many  do,  that  the  apostle  means,  that  God  willeth 
that  some  of  all  sorts  should  be  saved  :  for,  doubt¬ 
less,  some  of  all  nations,  ranks,  and  orders,  will 
be  left  to  perish  in  their  sins,  whereunto  also  they 
were  appointed.” 

There  may  be  a  difference  of  opinion  with  re¬ 
spect  to  the  nature  or  design  of  the  prayers  which 
Timothy  was  exhorted  to  offer  up.  With  this 
we  have  nothing  to  do,  as  it  does  not  concern  the 
present  argument.  The  only  use  which  we  make 
of  the  exhortation  is,  to  determine  whether  Ti¬ 
mothy  was  exhorted  to  pray  for  any  of  the 
non-elect,  and  consequently,  whether  Christ  gave 
himself  a  price  of  redemption  for  them.  But  here 
it  may  be  said,  that  Timothy  was  not  exhorted  to 
pray  for  all  mankind,  since  many  were  dead  before 
the  exhortation  was  given,  and  others,  perhaps,  had 
committed  the  unpardonable  sin,  which,  according 
to  St.  John,  would  also  render  them  improper  sub¬ 
jects  of  prayer ;  and  that  this  argument  cannot 
therefore  prove,  that  Christ  gave  himself  a  ransom 
for  all  the  human  race.  To  this  it  may  be  replied, 
As  it  is  granted  by  all,  that  this  exhortation  is  to 
be  considered  as  addressed  not  only  to  Timothy, 
but  also  to  all  Christ’s  ministers,  in  every  age,  since 
it  was  first  given,  we  may,  I  think,  infer  from  the 
attributes  of  God,  particularly  his  immutability, 
that  it  was  also  agreeable  to  his  will,  before  the 
days  of  Timothy,  that  “  prayers  and  intercessions” 


(  28  ) 


should  be  made  for  all  men  living  on  the  earth,  who 
had  not  committed  the  unpardonable  sin*.  And  if 
this  inference  be  just,  it  will  follow  unavoidably, 
that  every  individual  of  Adam’s  race  either  is,  has 
been,  or  will  be,  a  proper  subject  of  prayer  ;  since 
even  the  blasphemer  against  the  Holy  Ghost  might 
have  been  prayed  for,  agreeably  to  the  will  of  God, 
before  lie  committed  the  unpardonable  sin.  But 
even  if  this  were  not  so ;  if  it  had  never  been  the 
will  of  God,  that  “  prayers  and  intercessions  should 
be  made  for  Aid  men,  for  kings,  and  for  all  in  au¬ 
thority,”  either  before  this  exhortation  was  given 
to  Timothy,  or  since  his  death  ;  yet  it  would  not  in 
the  least  invalidate  the  present  argument.  For  it 
will  not  he  denied,  that  some  of  those  for  whom 
Timothy  was  exhorted  to  pray,  and  for  whom  Christ 
gave  himself  a  price  of  redemption,  were  never 
brought  to  “  the  knowledge  of  the  truth and 
consequently  were  not  elected  to  eternal  life.  And 
if  it  be  acknowledged  that  Christ  made  an  atone¬ 
ment  for  some  of  the  non-elect,  the  partition  wall 
is  broken  down,  and  tbe  universality  of  the  atone¬ 
ment  must  be  admitted. 

We  apprehend,  the  principal  reason  why  any 
have  thought  that  the  word  all,  in  this  chapter, 
should  be  confined  to  the  elect,  is  because  they  sup¬ 
posed,  that  if  it  included  all  tlse  human  race,  it 
would  lead  to  the  soul-destroying  doctrine  of  uni-  ^ 
versal  salvation.  But  if  God  had  done  nothing 
more  than  make  provision,  by  a  full  atonement,  for 

*  It  may  lie  observed,  that  the  very  exception,  which  is  made  by  St. 
John,  of  the  sin  which  is  unto  death,  proves,  that  all  who  have  not  com¬ 
mitted  this  sin,  are  the  proper  subjects  of  prayer  ;  otherwise  those  who 
have  committed  it,  are  not  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  the  non-elect. 


the  salvation  of  all  men  through  faith  in  Christ, 
and  manifest  his  willingness  that  all  men  should 
be  saved  in  this  way,  and  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth,  without  determining,  by  the  renovat¬ 
ing  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  make  them 
willing,  (and  no  such  determination  is  here  impli¬ 
ed,)  any  one,  who  is  sensible  of  the  total  depravity 
of  the  human  heart,  will  easily  be  persuaded,  that 
the  salvation  of  all  men  w  ould  be  so  far  from  being 
certain,  that  not  one  of  them  would  be  saved.  It 
is  not  enough  that  men  be  placed  in  such  a  situa¬ 
tion,  that  they  may  be  saved,  if  they  are  not  pre¬ 
vented  by  their  own  fault.  To  secure  their  de¬ 
struction,  they  need  only  be  left  of  God  to  go  their 
own  way ;  but  to  secure  their  salvation,  the  work 
must  be  taken  out  of  their  own  hands*. 

4.  The  Scriptures  do,  in  our  opinion,  unequivo¬ 
cally  and  expressly  teach  us,  that  Christ  died,  or 
made  an  atonement,  for  all  mankind. 

A  few  of  the  numerous  passages  which  teaeli  this 
;!  Important  doctrine  will  be  noticed.  John  i.  29. 

Behold  the  larnb  of  God,  which  taketh  away,” 
or  beareth,  (as  it  is  in  the  margin,)  «  the  sin  of  the 

*  “  If  it  "be  objected,”  say  tlie  continuators  of  Mr.  Pool,  “  how  is  it 
consistent  with  Christ’s  giving  himself  a  ransom  for  all ,  that  so  many 
|  perish  in  their  sins  ?  The  answer  is  clear,  we  must  distinguish  between 
i  the  sufficiency  of  his  ransom,  and  the  efficacy  of  it:  he  paid  a  ransom 
i  worthy  to  obtain  the  salvation  of  all  men,  and  has  done  whatever  was 
requisite  to  reconcile  God,  and  make  men  capable  of  salvation  ;  but  Only 
those,  who  by  a  lively  faith  depend  upon  him  and  obey  him,  are  actual 
partakers  of  salvation  :  that  is,  there  is  no  person  hut  may  be  saved  in 
I  believing- ;  and  if  men  perish,  it  is  not  from  a  defect  of  righteousness  in 
\  the  Mediator,  but  from  the  love  of  their  lusts,  and  their  obstinately  re¬ 
jecting  their  own  mercies  : .  and  it  is  unjust,  that  the  glory  of  his  divine 
j  compassion  and  love  should  he  obscured  or  lessened  for  their  ungrateful 
neglect  of  it,” 


C  30  ) 

world.”  It  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  word 
sin,  is  in  the  singular  number,  meaning  the  collect¬ 
ed  sin  of  all  the  human  race.  So  true  it  is,  that 
<e  God  laid  on  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all.” 

Again,  John  iii.  16,  17, 18.  “  God  so  loved  the 

world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  who¬ 
soever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.  For  God  sent  not  his  son  into  the 
world  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the  world 
through  him  might  be  saved.  He  that  believeth 
in  him  is  not  condemned,  but  he  that  believeth  not, 
is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not  believed 
on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.”  It 
was  hardly  possible  for  our  Saviour  to  express  the 
fulness  of  his  atonement,  in  plainer,  or  in  less  con¬ 
fined  terms,  than  he  has  here  expressed  it.  It  ap¬ 
pears  never  to  have  entered  into  his  mind,  that  any 
would  perish,  under  the  light  of  the  Gospel,  except 
for  unbelif.  He  mentions  no  other  cause  of  their 
destruction,  hut  expressly  assures  us,  that  God  sent 
his  Son  into  the  world,  that  the  ivorld  through  him 
might  be  saved.  But  is  it  not  plain,  if  there  be  any 
part  for  whom  Christ  has  made  no  atonement,  that 
belief  or  unbelitf  can  make  no  difference  with 
them  ?  Must  not  their  salvation  be  utterly  impossi¬ 
ble,  upon  any  condition  or  supposition  whatever  ? 

If  it  be  said,  our  Saviour  is  here  speaking  of  the 
elect  world, — We  ask,  How  is  this  known  ?  Christ 
himself  has  not  given  us  any  intimation  of  it.  And 
surely  it  will  not  he  pretended,  that  this  is  an  ordi¬ 
nary  meaning  of  the  word  world.  This  word  is 
frequently  used  in  the  New  Testament,  especially 
by  St.  John  ;  hut  we  apprehend  it  will  be  found  ge¬ 
nerally,  if  not  always,  that  whenever  he,  or  any 


(  31  ) 


other  inspired  writer,  uses  it  in  a  limited  sense,  he 
means  either  a  portion  of  the  world  including  peo¬ 
ple  of  all  characters,  or,  (which  is  more  common,) 
either  the  whole,  or  part  of  the  unbelieving  world, 
as  distinguished  from  the  Church,  or  professed  fol¬ 
lowers  of  Christ.  We  need  only  supply  the  word 
elect ,  where  it  is  thought  to  be  understood,  and  we 
shall  have  convincing  evidence,  that  our  Saviour 
did  not  mean  to  have  it  understood,  “  God  so  lov¬ 
ed  the  elect  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  of  the  elect  world  believeth  in 
fiim,  should  not  perish,  hut  have  everlasting  life : 
for  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  elect  world,  to 
condemn  the  elect  world,  but  that  the  elect  world 
through  him  might  be  saved.”  That  is,  there  is  a 
possibility  of  it,  but  no  certainty !  Was  Christ  sent 
into  the  elect  world  only  ?  Is  the  salvation  of  the 
elect  merely  possible  ?  And  above  all,  is  it  true  of 
the  elect,  and  of  them  only,  that  Avhosoever  believ¬ 
eth  on  the  Son  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
!  ing  life  ;  and  consequently,  that  whosoever  believ¬ 
eth  not,  shall  perish  ?  Is  it  not  plain,  that  those 
who  perish  through  unbelief ,  and  who  are  “  con¬ 
demned  already,”  belong  to  the  same  world,  which 
God  loved,  and  for  which  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  it  might  be  saved  ?  Yea,  is  there  not  as 
much  evidence  of  this,  as  there  is,  that  those  who 
have  everlasting  life  belong  to  it  ?  But  will  perdi¬ 
tion  be  the  lot  of  any  of  God’s  elect  ?  JVo.  As  long 
as  the  throne  of  God  endures  ;  as  long  as  Christ  is 
able  to  save  them  from  Satan's  grasp,  so  long  is 
|  their  salvation  certain. 

The  passage  of  Scripture  which  we  will  next  no¬ 
tice,  is  recorded  in  Heb.  ii.  9.  “  But  we  see  Jesus, 


(  S2  ) 


who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels5  for  the 
suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honour, 
that  he  by  the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for 
every  man.” .  Although  this  text  appears  to  us  too 
plain  to  need  any  comment ;  yet,  since  it  is  thought 
by  some,  that  the  40th  verse  limits  these  w  ords  to 
the  elect,  because  none  but  them  will  be  brought  to 
glory  ;  that  the  reader  may  see  the  exact  conformi¬ 
ty  of  this  passage  of  Scripture  to  the  sentiments 
contained  in  this  Essay,  we  would  observe,  that 
though  Christ  “  tasted  death  for  every  man,”  and 
is  thus  made  “  perfect  through  sufferings,”  it  is 
not  our  opinion,  that  God  in  his  eternal  counsel, 
ever  purposed  to  save,  or  “  bring  to  glory,”  any 
but  the  elect. 

The  two  following  passages  of  Scripture  teach 
us,  that  Christ  did  die  for  some  who,  notwithstand¬ 
ing,  may  actually  perish.  1  Cor.  viii.  11.  “  And 
through  thy  know  ledge  shall  the  weak  brother,  (bro¬ 
ther  by  profession,)  perish ,  for  whom  Christ  died.” 
2  Pet.  ii.  1.  “  But  there  were  false  prophets  also 
among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  be  false 
teachers  among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  dam¬ 
nable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought 
them,  and  bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruc¬ 
tion.”  “  That  there  is  a  sense,”  says  Dr.  With¬ 
erspoon,  in  his  sermon  on  1  John  ii.  2.  “  in  which 
Christ  died  for  all  men,  and  even  for  those  who 
perish,  is  plain  from  the  very  words  of  Scripture  ; 
1  Tim.  iv.  10.  and  1  Cor.  viii.  11.  Thus  it  appears, 
that  both  in  a  national  and  personal  view,  Christ  is 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ;  and  not  for  ears  only, 
but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  woklb.” 

Wc  will  notice  but  one  text  more,  2  Cor.  v.  If, 


(  33  ) 


Si  For  the  love  of  Christ  eonstrainetli  us,  because, 
we  Urns  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were 
all  dead  ;  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which 
live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves, 
hut  unto  him  who  died  for  them,  and  rose  again.” 
-  What  is  here  meant  by  the  phrase,  <£  then  were  all 
dead  ?”  Dr,  Owen,  Mr.  Witsius,  and  some  other  advo¬ 
cates  for  a  limited  atonement  tell  us,  that  it  means, 
all  were  dead  to  sin,  and  then  infer,  that  the  word  all 
cannot  include  any  more  than  the  elect.  To  this  we 
answer,  neither  can  it  include  all  the  elect.  The  verb 
“  v/ere  dead”  is  in  the  past  tense,  and  if  it  mean 
<(  were  dead  to  sin,”  the  word  all  cannot  include 
any  of  the  elect  who  have  been  born  since  the  death 
of  Christ,  unless  we  introduce  the  monstrous  sup¬ 
position,  that  they  were  sanctified  before  they  were 
born  !  But  even  if  we  could  avoid  this  absurdity,  it 
would  be  impossible  for  us  to  conceive  how  the  elect 
eaa  be  said  to  be  dead  to  sin,  merely  because  Christ 
has  died  for  them.  We  have  no  evidence,  that  the 
elect,  previously  to  the  regenerating  influences  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  are  any  more  dead  to  sin  than  the 
non-elect.  Setting  aside,  therefore,  this  explana¬ 
tion  of  the  passage,  we  will  adopt  the  more  ration¬ 
al  interpretation  of  those,  who  suppose  that  the 
apostle  means,  were  dead  in  sin.  This  makes  the 
apostle’s  argument  natural  and  intelligible ;  “  If 
one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead”  in  sin.  That 
is,  all  men  were  in  so  sinful  and  helpless  a  state, 
that  there  was  no  possibility  of  their  delivering 
'  themselves,  and  consequently  needed  some  one  to 
die,  (i.  e.  make  an  atonement,)  for  them.  But 
again  it  is  said,  the  apostle  is  speaking  only  of  the 
elect.  And  again  we  ask,  How  is  this  known? 


(  34  ) 

The  apostle  does  not  say  so,  nor  does  he  intimate 
any  such  thing.  And  is  it  true  of  the  elect  only  ?  ' 
Are  not  all  men,  whether  elected  or  not,  naturally 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins  ?  Besides,  the  apostle  by 
the  expression,  “  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which 
live,”  &e.  plainly  intimates,  that  he  did  not  expect 
that  all  for  whom  Christ  died,  and  who  were  dead, 
would  live  to  him  who  died  for  them.  But  if  he 
had  intended  to  include  only  the  elect,  he  would 
have  been  certain,  that  all  of  them  would  live  to  S 
Christ.  We  are  therefore  led  to  the  conclusion, 
that  the  apostle  meant  to  teach  us,  in  this  passage, 
that  all  were  dead  in  sin,  whether  elected  or  not, 
and  that  Christ  died  for  all  mankind — for  the  non- 
elect  as  well  as  the  elect.  The  truth  is,  the  apos¬ 
tle,  in  this  passage,  takes  it  for  granted,  as  a 
fact  not  disputed,  that  Christ  died  for  all,  and  hence 
infers,  that  ail  were  dead  in  sin — in  a  perishing, 
helpless  state ;  and  then  draws  the  conclusion,  that 
those  who  are  delivered  from  this  state,  and  made 
spiritually  alive,  should  not  live  unto  themselves, 
but  unto  him  who  died  for  them.  But  where  is  the 
necessity  of  torturing  the  Scriptures  merely  to  i 
avoid  the  doctrine  of  a  full  atonement  2  Was  not 
Christ  able  to  bear  «  the  sin  of  the  world  ?”  Were 
not  bis  sufferings  sufficient  to  atone  “  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  world  ?”  Surely'  this  will  not  be  pre¬ 
tended.  Ife  was  the  eternal  and  only  begotten  Son 
of  God  ;  **  the  brightness  of  the  Father’s  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person.”  “  Who 
being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  equal  with  God.”  Are  there  any  passages  of 
Scripture  which  tell  us  that  Christ  did  not  die  for 
all  mankind,  and  which  therefore  oblige  us  to  limit 


('  55  ) 

those  >vliieli  say  that  he  did  ?  We  have  not  been  able 
to  find  any  such  passages.  Will  the  doctrine  of  a  full 
atonement  be,  as  some  have  apprehended,  attended 
with  bad  consequences,  by  contradicting  or  sub¬ 
verting  some  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Gospel*  ?  This,  we  conceive,  is  not  true ;  but,  on 
the  contrary,  let  this  doctrine  be  admitted,  and  the 
whole  plan  of  the  Gospel  will  be  consistent  and 
harmonious.  But  does  not  our  Saviour  say,  “  I  lay 
down  my  life  for  the  sheep  ?”  He  certainly  does. 
And  least  of  all  would  those  who  believe  that 

*  As  some  object  to  the  doctrine  which  we  are  endeavouring  to  es¬ 
tablish,  because  it  is  not  exactly  conformable  to  what  has  been,  and  is 
yet  maintained  by  many  worthy  Calvinistic  Divines,  that  we  may  not  ap¬ 
pear  to  differ  from  them  more  than  we  actually  do,  it  may  be  proper  to  ob¬ 
serve,  that  the  doctrine  of  Calvin  was,  that  Christ  did  not  die  efficacious¬ 
ly  to  redeem  any  but  the  elect ;  or,  as  it  has  been  sometimes  expressed, 
“  with  a  distinct  purpose  and  design  to  save  all  mankind.”  And  if  the 
question  should  be  proposed  to  us,  in  this  form,  we  should  also  sav  that 
he  did  not :  for  the  counsel  of  God  shall  stand,  and  he  will  do  all  his 
pleasure.  But  we  object  to  uniting  the  purpose  of  God,  with  respect  to 
the  number  that  shall  be  saved,  with  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  con¬ 
sidering  both  as  of  the  same  extent.  The  Scriptures,  we  think,  plainly 
teach,  that  Christ  died  as  a  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  “  whole 
world.”  But  this  does  not  necessarily  imply,  that  God  w  ill  save  the 
whole  world.  In  the  former  part  of  this  Essay,  we  endeavoured  to 
show,  that  those  for  vdiom  Christ  died  are  not,  merely,  on  account  of  his 
death,  less  sinful  paid  hell-deserving  than  they  would  have  been,  if  Christ 
had  not  died  ;  and  that  they  have  not,  in  justice,  any  claim  to  salvation 
on  account  of  what  Christ  has  done  for  them.  And  the  Gospel  every 
where  teaches,  that  “  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,” 
only  to  them  that  believe,  (Rom.  x.  4. ;)  that  none  but  believers  are  de¬ 
livered  from  its  curse.  The  satisfaction  which  Christ  has  made,  has 
rendered  it  consistent,  that  the  Gospel  terms  of  salvation  should  be  pro¬ 
posed  to  “  every  creature  ;”  and  that  every  one  who  complies  with 
them  should  be  saved  ;  and  also,  that  God  should,  by  the  regenerating 
influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  make  w  hom  he  please  willing  to  comply 
with  them. 


(  36  ) 


Clirist  died  for  all  mankind,  wish  to  exclude  his 
Church  or  peculiar  people.  Our  Saviour  does  not 
say.  that  he  laid  down  his  life  for  none  but  the 
sheep.  And  we  are  sure  that  St.  John,  who  record¬ 
ed  these  words,  did  not  understand  by  them  that 
Christ  died  only  for  his  followers,  for  he  elsewhere 
expressly  says,  “  he  is  the  propitiation  not  only  for 
our  sins,”  that  is,  the  sins  of  his  sheep  or  followers, 
“  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.”  If  a 
passage  of  Scripture  could  bo  found,  in  which  it  is 
said,  that  Christ  died  for  the  sheep  or  for  the  elect 
only ,  something  would  be  done  towards  proving  the 
doctrine  of  a  limited  atonement. 

If  wc  attend  to  the  connexion  in  which  these 
words  stand,  we  shall  find  that  onr  Saviour  design¬ 
ed  by  them  to  prove  that  he  was  “  the  good  shep¬ 
herd,”  and  not  an  hireling.  The  may  therefore  as¬ 
sign  a  very  good  reason  why  our  Saviour  did  not 
mention  his  dying  for  any  who  were  not  his  sheep  : 
since  it  would  have  been  entirely  foreign  to  his  sub¬ 
ject.  And,  in  this  way,  we  must  account  for  many 
other  expressions  in  the  Scriptures,  in  which 
Christ  is  said  to  have  died  for  a  paid  of  mankind. 
In  Gal.  ii.  20.  St.  Paul  says  that  Christ  died  for 
him ;  and  does  not  say  that  he  died  for  any  other 
person.  In  Rom.  iv.  23.  he  tells  the  Church  at 
Rome,  that  Christ  was  delivered  for  their  offences 
and  his  own.  In  Sph.  v.  25.  that  he  died  for  the 
Church  in  general.  And  in  Heb.  ii.  9.  that  he 
“  tasted  death  for  every  man.”  So  also  in  John  x. 
15.  we  are  told  that  Christ  laid  down  his  life  for 
the  sheep  ;  and  in  i  John  ii.  2.  that  “  he  is  the  pro¬ 
pitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world..”  Is  there 
here  any  inconsistency  ?  or  rather,  do  not  these 


(  3?  ) 


passagesof  Scripture,  viewed  in  connexion,  plainly 
teach  us,  that  the  extent  of  Christ’s  death  is  not  to 
be  limited  to  any  portion  of  mankind  5  and  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  did  not  intend  by  such  phrases  as,  he 
died  for  me — for  us — for  the  Church,  6cc.  to  express 
its  full  extent  ?  But  it  is  also  asked,  How  can  the 
atonement  of  Christ  render  the  salvation  of  all 
men  possible,  when  all  men  have  not  had  the  means 
of  grace  ;  and  many  were  dead,  and  therefore  out 
of  the  reach  of  mercy,  before  his  blood  was  shed  ? 
.To  this  we  answer, 

1st.  Had  not  Adam’s  fallen  race  loved  darkness 
rather  than  light ;  had  they  not  been  desperately 
wicked,  and  determined  to  forsake  the  fountain  of 
living  waters,  saying  unto  the  Almighty,  depart 
from  us,  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways ; 
not  one  of  them,  since  the  creation,  would  have 
been  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace.  God  re¬ 
vealed  his  own  character,  and  the  way  of  salvation 
through  Christ,  to  our  first  parents ;  and  Noah, 
who  was  the  father  of  the  new  world,  w  as  not  only 
a  righteous  man,  but  a  «  preacher  of  righteous¬ 
ness.”  God  has  also  in  all  ages  of  the  world  had 
a  seed  to  serve  him.  lie  has  used  means  for  the 
conversion  of  those  who  had  forsaken  him.  And 
the  language  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  the  Church 
to  mankind  has  ever  been,  «  whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely.”  And  it 
is  owing  wholly  to  the  wickedness  of  the  human 
heart,  which  is  naturally  the  same  in  all,  that  any 
have  ever  been  so  far  off,  that  they  eould  not  hear 
the  sound  of  the  gracious  invitation.  Nor  are  the 
heathen  suffering  unjustly  for  the  sins  of  their  fa¬ 
thers.  They  are  as  wicked  in  heart,  and  as  oppos- 

» 


(  38  ) 


ed  to  God  as  their  lathers  were,  whom  God  gave 
over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  because  they  did  not  like 
to  retain  him  in  their  knowledge.  And  this  oppo¬ 
sition  to  the  truth  they  have  always  manifested, 
whenever  exertions  have  been  made  for  their  con¬ 
version.  Their  having  been  without  the  means  of 
grace,  therefore,  does  not  give  the  least  shadow  of 
evidence,  that  God  was  not  willing  they  should  be 
saved,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  but 
proves  only  that  he  had  not  determined  to  «  compel 
them  to  come  in.” 

2d.  The  atonement  is  full  and  complete, 
so  that  God  can,  consistently  with  his  perfec¬ 
tions,  “  have  mercy  upon  whom  he  will  have 
mercy.”  There  is  not  an  individual  of  Adam’s 
race,  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  whom  we  be¬ 
lieve  God  cannot,  upon  the  ground  of  the  atone¬ 
ment,  make  a  trophy  of  his  victorious  grace,  if  in¬ 
finite  wisdom  judge  it  to  be  best.  Neither  has 
there  ever  been  such  an  individual,  nor  will  there 
ever  be.  And  as  for  the  objection,  that  many  were 
dead  and  out  of  the  reach  of  mercy  before  Christ 
died,  it  is  of  no  force.  It  is  founded  upon  the  sup¬ 
position,  that  men  could  not  have  the  means  of 
grace  before  Christ’s  death,  which  is  not  true.  It 
is  also  objected,  that  if  all  those  for  whom  Christ 
died  be  not  saved,  Christ’s  priestly  office  is  torn 
asunder,  since  he  makes  an  atonement  for  some  for 
whom  he  will  not  pray  :  for  Christ  says,  «  I  pray 
not  for  the  world.” 

Although  this  objection  is  often  urged  with  much 
confidence,  yet  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  conceive  in 
what  its  force  consists.  We  acknowledge  that 


(  39  ) 

Christ’s  making  an  atonement,  and  his  interceding 
for  his  people,  are  both  parts  of  his  priestly  office, 
yet  they  appear  to  us  to  be  distinct  parts,  and  not 
necessarily  one  and  the  same  thing.  It  is  easy  to 
eoneeive,  that  great  and  important  ends  may  be  an¬ 
swered  by  God’s  opening  a  door  of  salvation  for 
the  non-elect,  by  the  atonement  of  Christ,  so  as  to 
leave  them  wholly  without  excuse,  although  he 
has  never  purposed  to  “  compel  them  to  come  in.” 
And  it  surely  will  not  be  pretended,  that  because 
Christ  has  been  so  merciful  and  gracious  to  the 
non  elect,  as  to  die  for  them,  that,  on  this  very  ac¬ 
count,  he  has  brought  himself  under  obligation  to 
pray  for,  and  save  them  ,•  although  they  wilfully 
and  obstinately  reject  his  proffered  mercies.  And 
should  any  think  it  inconsistent  for  Christ  to  do  any 
thing  for  the  non-eleet,  in  his  mediatorial  charac¬ 
ter,  without  securing  their  salvation,  we  would  ask, 
whether  it  be  not  true,  that  the  non-elect  do  receive 
favours  from  Christ  in  this  capacity?  Is  it  noton 
account  of  his  death,  that  (hey  enjoy  the  means  of 
grace  ;  that  the  Gospel  is  to  be  preached  « to  every 
creature,”  whether  elected  or  not  ?  And  are  we 
not,  moreover,  taught,  in  Luke  xiii.  8.  that  through 
the  intercession  of  Christ,  these  means  are  conti¬ 
nued  to  them  longer  than  they  otherwise  would  be  ? 

We  will  now  conclude  with  a  few  inferences  from 
what  has  been  advanced. 

1.  From  the  nature  of  tbe  atonement  wc  learn, 
that  those  are  in  a  very  great  error,  who  imagine 
that  all  men  will  be  saved,  merely  on  account  of 
the  fulness  of  the  atonement.  But  if  Christ  died 
.for  the  sins  of  all  mankind,  will  not  all  he  saved  ? 
We  answer ;  No,  not  one  of  them,  merely  because 


(  4.0  ) 


Christ  has  died.  God  is  not,  ou  account  of  the 
atonement  alone,  exclusive  of  his  promise,  under 
obligation  to  grant  to  one  sinner  eternal  life,  or  to 
deliver  him  from  deserved  punishment.  The  doc¬ 
trine,  that  the  obedience  and  sufferings  of  Christ 
were  transferred  to  those  for  whom  he  died,  or  so 
imputed  to  them,  that  they  can  claim  deliverance 
from  punishment,  and  eternal  happiness,  as  their 
just  due,  is,  in  our  view,  unscriptural,  and  irration¬ 
al.  We  know  that  some  excellent  Calvinistie  Di¬ 
vines  have  incautiously  taught,  that  this  is  the  na¬ 
ture  of  the  atonement,  and  we  also  knowr,  that 
others,  taking  advantage  of  this,  have  founded  up¬ 
on  it  the  unscriptural  doctrine  of  universal  salva¬ 
tion*. 

In  the  former  part  of  this  Essay  we  offered  our 
reasons  for  rejecting  this  view  of  the  nature  of  the 
atonement.  WTe  observed,  that  it  w  as  not,  in  fact, 
true,  that  God  cannot  consistently  punish  men  for 

*  It  is  much  to  he  lamented,  that  those  who  “  are  set  for  the  defence 
of  the  Gospel,”  have  given  such  erroneous  view's  of  the  nature  of  the 
atonement,  as  to  afford  support  to  a  doctrine  so  pernicious  to  the  souls 
of  men,  as  that  of  universal  salvation.  Men  are  taught,  even  by  some 
of  the  most  worthy  ministers  of  Christ,  that  all  for  whom  Christ  died 
must  be  saved.  That  God  cannot  be  “  merciful  and  just,”  unless  he 
save  them.  They  then  open  the  Scriptures,  and  find  that  Christ  gave 
himself  a  ransom  for  all ;  that  he  tasted  death  for  every  man  ;  and  that 
he  is  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  the  unavoid¬ 
able  conclusion  is,  that  all  men  will  be  saved  :  a  conclusion,  which  di¬ 
rectly  contradicts  not  only  the  plainest  declarations  of  Scripture,  but  also 
the  whole  tenour  of  the  Gospel.  Does  this  contradiction  really  exist  in 
the  word  of  God,  or  have  ministers  mistaken  the  nature  of  the  atone¬ 
ment  !  Can  any  hesitate  in  answering  this  question  ?  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  let  it  be  show  n,  that  a  full  atonement  is  consistent  with  the  final 
perdition  of  a  part  of  mankind,  and  the  sandy  foundation  of  the  uni- 
versalist  is  washed  away,  the  superstructure  falls,  and  ruin  to  his  whole 
system  immediately  ensues. 


(  *1  ) 

the  same  sins  for  which  Christ  died,  because  he  ac¬ 
tually  does  do  it,  in  part,  in  this  life.  We  also  en¬ 
deavoured  to  show,  that  if  this  were  the  real  nature 
of  the  atonement,  those  for  whom  Christ  died,  are 
treated  unjustly,  by  being  kept  so  long  out  of  their 
purchased  inheritance — that  they  are  delivered  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  (that  is,  justified,)  before  they 
believe — that  if  Christ  has  paid  the  full  debt  of 
obedience,  as  well  as  the  debt  of  punishment,  they 
are  under  no  obligation,  on  the  ground  of  justice,  to 
obey — that  it  is  improper  for  them  to  pray  for  par¬ 
don  of  sin,  or  deliverance  from  the  evils  of  this  life, 
or  of  that  which  is  to  come — that  Christ’s  inter¬ 
cession  is  improper  and  useless,*  and  that  there  is 
no  grace  in  their  justification. 

But  will  not  Christ’s  blood  be  spilt  in  vain,  at 
least  in  part,  if  all  for  whom  lie  died  are  not  saved  ? 
We  answer,  No,  in  no  wise.  Christ  did  not  die  to 
free  men  from  all  obligation  to  obey  their  Creator, 
and  to  bring  the  Almighty  under  obligation  to  save 
them,  and  to  do  it,  even  though  they  are  ever  so 
unwilling  to  come  to  the  know  ledge  of  the  truth. 
According  to  St.  Paul,  Christ  was  set  forth  to  be  a 
propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
the  righteousness  of  God,  so  that  he  might  be  just , 
and  yet  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus. 
And  this  purpose  is  fully  answered,  let  the  number 
of  the  saved  be  what  it  may.  Besides,  the  suffer¬ 
ings  of  Christ  would  have  been  the  same,  whether 
he  was  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  elect  on¬ 
ly,  or  «  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,”  or  of 
ten  thousand  worlds,  if  it  had  been  the  will  of  God, 
that  he  should  die  for  so  many.  So  that  if  the  ob¬ 
jection  have  any  weight,  (which  we  apprehend  it 
»  2 


it  lias  not,)  it  will  have  the  same  weight,  whether 
the  atonement  be  for  all,  or  only  for  the  elect,  or 
whether  all  lie  saved,  or  only  a  part.  The  law  and 
government  of  God  must  be  “  magnified  and  made 
honourable,”  before  the  pardon  of  one  sinner  could 
be  consistent ;  and  after  this  is  done,  pardon  may 
be  extended  to  Adam's  guilty  race,  just  as  far,  and 
upon  just  such  terms,  as  infinite  witedom  sees  lit. 
We  may  also  observe,  that  Christ  “  shall  see  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied.’*  Every  one, 
whom  the  Father  hath  given  to  him,  shall  be 
brought  to  glory.  Yea,  every  purpose,  whether 
direct  or  indirect,  which  God  ever  designed  should 
be  effected  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  will  be  effected. 
How  then,  we  ask,  has  he  spilt  his  blood  in  vain  ? 

But  if  the  atonement  of  Christ  has  rendered  the 
salvation  of  all  men,  (if  they  will  comply  with  the 
terms  of  the  Gospel.)  consistent  with  justice,  will 
not  the  goodness  of  God  incline  him  to  save  all,  and 
as  he  lias  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  his  hands,  to 
make  them  willing  in  the  day  of  his  power  ?  To 
this  we  answer,  the  goodness  of  God  will  incline 
him  to  save,  and  to  “  prepare  for  glory,”  just  as 
many  as  he  judges  to  be  best,  and  no  more.  If, 
therefore,  we  would  know  whether  all  will  be  sav¬ 
ed  or  not,  we  must  look  into  God’s  revealed  w  ill, 
and  no  where  else.  For  since  men  are  unwilling  to 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  nothing  can  be 
inferred  from  the  fulness  of  the  atonement,  with 
respect  to  the  number  that  will  be  saved.  If  then  it 
be  asked.  Why  will  not  all  mankind  be  saved  ?,  We 
answer ;  it  is  not  because  Christ  has  not  “  died  for 
all,”  nor  because  God  out*  Saviour  is  not  “  willing 
that  all  men  should  be  saved  3”  but  it  is  because 


(  43  ) 

they  “  love  darkness  rather  than  light,”  and 
“  will  not  come  unto  Christ,  that  they  may  have 
life.”  If  again  it  be  asked,  Why  does  not  this  un¬ 
willingness  prevent  the  salvation  of  all,  sinee  it  is 
the  same  in  all  ?  We  answer,  in  the  language  of  St. 
Paul,  (Eph.  i.  4,  5.)  Because  God  “  hath  chosen 
some,  in  Christ,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
that  they  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  love  :  having  predestinated  them  to  the  adop¬ 
tion  of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  GOOD  PLEASURE  OF  HIS  WILL,  to  the 

praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace.”  These  are  given 
to  Christ  in  the  eternal  covenant  of  redemption. 
And  all  who  are  thus  “  given  to  him,  shall  come 
unto  him,  and  him  that  cometh,  he  will  in  no  wise 
east  out.”  (John  vi.  37.)  In  them  Christ  “  shall 
see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  he  satisfied.” 
Although  they  are  by  nature  (he  children  of  wrath, 
even  as  others,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of 
God,  and  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  yet  he,  who 
commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  doth 
shine  into  their  hearts,  to  give  them  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  .glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ.  They  are  delivered  from  the  bond¬ 
age  of  sin,  “  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and 
the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost,”  and  being  thus 
“  afore  prepared  unto  glory,”  they  “  are  kept  by 
the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation.” 

And  'finally,'  if  it  he  asked,  Why  hath  not  God 
thus  chosen  all  to  ' salvation  ?  We  answer,  in  the 
words  of  our  saviour,  (Matt  xi. .2.6.)  “even  so, 

FATHER,  FOR  SO  IT  SEEMED  GOOD  IN  THY  SIGHT.” 

For  although  the  Scriptures  might  warrant  us 


(  44  ) 

to  offer  several  other  reasons,  why  God  has  not 
ehosen  all  to  salvation  ;  yet  as  this  reason  appears 
to  be  amply  sufficient  to  satisfy  every  humble  in¬ 
quirer,  no  other  need  now  be  given.  For  since  our 
Saviour  hath  expressly  told  us,  that  whilst  some 
shall  come  forth  from  their  graves,  “  to  the  resur¬ 
rection  of  life,”  others  shall  come  forth  “ to  the  re¬ 
surrection  of  damnation,”  and  “  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment :”  it  is  the  height  of 
folly  and  impiety  for  any  one  to  rise  up  in  the  face 
of  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead,  and  condemn  the 
eternal  counsels  of  heaven  as  unwise,  merely  be¬ 
cause  they  are  beyond  his  shallow  comprehension  ! 
As  well  might  he 


et  Snatch  from  his  hand  the  balance  and  the  rod. 

Re-judge  his  justice,  be  the  god  of  God  !” 

2.  From  the  fulness  of  the  atonement  we  .  learn, 
that  no  sinner,  who  en  joys  the  light  of  the  Gospel, 
has  the  least  excuse  for  not  being  saved  through 
faith  in  Christ,  and  that  he  never  will  have  such  an 
excuse. 

Although  if  Christ  had  made  no  atonement  for 
the  non-elect,  they  would  have  been  justly  con¬ 
demned  for  transgressing  the  law  of  God,  and  the 
enmity  of  their  hearts  to  God  would  have  been 
manifested  by  their  opposition  to  Christ,  and  his 
holy  religion ;  yet  when  they  should  discover, 
that  their  salvation  through  faith  in  Christ  was 
never  possible,  and  therefore,  that  the  offers  of 
mercy,  with  respect  to  them,  could  never  have 
been  sincere :  where  would  be  the  propriety  of  God’s 


C  *5  ) 

requiring  them  to  believe  on  Iris  Son,  rvith  pro¬ 
mises  of  eternal  salvation,  if  they  complied  .? 
And  how  would  it  be  possible  for  them  ever 
to  blame  themselves  for  not  being  saved  in  this 
way  ?  But  since  this  is  not  the  ease,  since  the  word 
of  God  assures  us  that  Christ  “  tasted  death  for 
every  man,”  whether  he  be  elected  or  not,  that 
“  ail  things  arc  now  ready,”  and  that  “  w  hosoever 
will  may  come  f’  and  consequently,  that  it  is  owing 
wholly  to  their  ow  n  obstinate  unbelief,  and  wilful 
rejection  of  the  Saviour,  that  men  perish  in  their 
*  sins,  surely  “  every  mouth  will  be  stopped.” 

3.  Finally,  who,  in  the  view  of  this  subject, 
can  refrain  from  admiring  the  matchless  w  isdom,  and 
ineffable  grace  of  God,  manifested  in  devising  and 
executing  the  glorious  plan  of  salvation  by  a  Re¬ 
deemer  ?  To  have  devised  a  way,  so  that  the 
character  and  government  of  God  should  remain 
unsullied,  and  yet  the  guilty  violators  of  his  law  he 
pardoned,  and  this  “freely  by  the  grace  of  God,” 
was  as  much  above  the  wisdom  of  man,  as  the  hea¬ 
vens  are  higher  than  the  earth.  Yet  such  a  plan 
hath  God  devised.  Jn  it  “mercy  and  truth  have 
met  together  $  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed 
-each  other.”  This  plan  hears  upon  it  the  stamp  of 
infinite  wisdom.  The  all-wise  God  hath  marked  it 
for  his  own.  No  wonder  “the  angels  desire  to 
look  into  these  things.”  But  what  language  can 
express,  what  tongue  can  speak  the  sentiments  of 
those,  for  w  hom  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  only  shed 
his  Wood  ;  but  whom  he  hath  also  “  redeemed 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purified  unto  bin  self  for  a 
peculiar  people!”  1ft ill  hosannas  ever  languish  up- 


(  46  ) 

on  their  tongues  ?  'Will  not  eternity  itself  be  tilled 
with  the  praises  of  the  Redeemer?  Well  may  the 
ransomed  of  the  Lord  come  to  the  heavenly  Zion, 
with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads,  cry¬ 
ing,  with  aloud  voice,  “  salvation  unto  God,  >;ho 
sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for¬ 
ever.”  Amen. 

N.  B.  To  prevent  a  misapprehension  of  what  is  said  on  the  doctrine  of 
election,  (in  page  5th  of  the  preface,)  we  would  observe  a  distinction 
which  must  be  made  between  God’s  eternal  purpose,  and  the  manifes¬ 
tation  of  Ids  purpose.  We  believe,  that  not  only  every  event,  but  the 
means  by  which  every  event  is  accomplished,  were  determined  by  the 
decree  of  God,  in  eternity.  We  do  not  conceive,  however,  that  the 
Sovereign  mercy  of  God  in  election,  is  displayed  in  the  atonement,  as 
made  for  some,  and  not  for  others,  but  in  God’s  regenerating  some  and 
not  others,  according  to  his  eternal  purpose. 

The  elect  were  doubtless  chosen  to  salvation  from  eternity.  This, 
however,  presupposes  their  ruined  state,  and  the  purpose  of  God  to 
provide  an  atonement  through  Christ,  in  whom  they  were  chosen.  This 
does  not  imply,  that  an  atonement  through  Christ,  and  their  eternal 
election  in  him,  are  the  same  thing.  In  view  of  mankind,  as  already 
plunged  in  guilt  and  ruin,  and  of  Christ,  as  making  an  adequate 
atonement,  it  pleased  God  to  choose  a  multitude  to  salvation,  through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit  and  a  belief  of  the  truth.  In  their  com¬ 
plete  recovery  and  salvation,  “  the  purpose  of  God,  according  to  elec¬ 
tion,”  is  carried  into  full  and  final  effect.  In  all  this,  God  acts  as  a 
most  holy  and  wise  sovereign,  “  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his 
will.”  “  Therefore  hath  he  mercy,  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.” 


T3NX9. 


